Why Saban is really against taking coaches off the road in the spring...

So, by now you've probably heard that Alabama coach Nick Saban doesn't like the NCAA's new ban on head coaching going out and evaluating in the spring. You've probably heard that he called it ridiculous.

A beautiful spring day that Nick Saban can't enjoy.

In fact, here is an article in today's Birmingham News about that very subject. Clearly, I spend a lot of time trying to decipher Saban's words. Last night, I started thinking about Saban's stance on this. Why is he really against it?

One is the most obvious: He likes the visits. Saban called evaluating at high schools in the spring, "One of the things I always looked forward to." I believe that.

But what I'm not sure about is if this specific rule adjustment will negatively affect Alabama's recruiting efforts. I'm not sure it will suddenly suffer because he can't make these cameos.

Saban will find another way to get it done, just like when the NCAA makes any rule. Instead, I'd venture to guess that his complaints have mostly to do with character.

Have you ever heard a coach talk as much as he does about building relationships? Seriously? Saban almost never discussing anything like trying "to win a guy" or "woo him." What he talks about is building relationships.

And it's not just Alabama trying to get in good with a prospects. It's a two-way street. Listen to what Saban said:

"I put it upon myself to make all those decisions by going to a lot of places in the spring because I wanted to meet a lot of people and make those evaluations with the assistant coaches' input, rather than having nine different entities out there trying to make those decisions and everybody making a little different decision."

He wants to be the decider, and I don't think he means on the field. As he said yesterday, meeting the principal and guidance counselor of a prospect is just as important as meeting his coach. Now, he can't really do that. Where that gets frustrating for coaches is when off-the-field news happens.

Arrests.

Saban has had to deal with that, as eight players have been arrested since he arrived at Alabama. Most of them, he didn't recruit. Yet he is still -- rightly -- held responsible for their behavior. He will be as long as he's here. So shouldn't he get the opportunity to properly vet all the prospects he's considering?

"We (head coaches) will be accountable in the long run relative to the decisions that we make on character and all those factors," Saban said.